“We Are Here” Stories (List View)

Palm Beach County residents were asked:

Please tell us about an important moment in your life that would help someone understand what it’s like living in your neighborhood.

The stories and micro-narratives they submitted (as part of the We Are Here SenseMaker project) are listed below. Click ZOOM IN to learn more about the community member and how they interpreted their submission. NOTE: Some stories were partially transcribed by volunteers who shortened the narratives and referred to the storytellers in the third person (e.g., “her experience was” instead of “my experience was”).


Oct 16, 2018

A fire that I won’t remember- laroderick richardson

I was playing around and my dad was grilling and the oil and fire got on him so my neighbor took the water hose and cooled him off and it worked and I thanked him so much
Oct 30, 2018

Different but normal- Kene

I help everybody. Help out the less fortunate with whatever I can. Teach kids not to smoke, would trade my life to save a child’s. When I’m rich, I’d like to give kids little puppies, teach them responsibility. No exaggeration!
Aug 30, 2018

Don’t be one

Well boynton wasn’t the same in 1967 there were street gangs street violence drug lords and kids dying
Oct 30, 2018

Happiness- Kene

The birth of my daughter. She motivated me to change my life around to live for her sake.
Sep 10, 2018

Become the better person

It’s either life can take down the good road or the bad on you choose what road you wanna take See me my choice was that I took the bad road I’ve been in prison for 17 years got out 2015 the way I grew up was horrible mother being on crack ,sister having a baby at teen age , becoming a drug dealer I have been doing things I regret cause what situation I’m in right now is worst that’s why I want better for the Young’s kids that’s around me
Sep 25, 2018

The run

A important impact for understanding why I live in this neighborhood is slavery I been living hea for almost 50 years